Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-06-28
TUESDAY. JUNE e, 1887.
CHII1DREN'S SAVINGS.

THE FIRST SCHOOL IN AMERICA
TO TEACH PRACTICAL ECONOMY.
The System Of school Savings Banks -
Explsined by Catherine BaIdwin-How
the Pennies Are Gathered In-The re-
suits.
n The system Of school savings banks as
explained by Catherine Baldwin in Har-
p4r's Bazaar Is one Of the most practical
g. d sensible schemes that have been put
forth for some time, it being really prob
able that the quality claimed for it, that
ssschool banks are to the lesson in thrift
what pen, ink and paper are to the lesson
in writing, is in it. No better lesson can
be TAUGHT a child in any branch than
lesson in consequences. Children, and
for that matter children of larger
growth, have to be taught the conse-
quences of this, that or the other folly be-
fore they learn to shun them, and there is
no reason why teaching them the conse-
quences of wisdom Should not be a lesson
equally strong. A child that learns that
pennies saved Ineaa something a great
deal better than sticks of candy and penny
ice5-pcrhaDs a whole week in the coun-
try or even a Goat teaEl-is learning a
valuable lesson Tho amount OF money
saved may not be great, the sum may be
spent Whenever it amounts to SO or So,
but the small capitalist is learning the
valuable lesson of inc Buddhists-seH
control, as wei as thrift, tho first object.
The first school in America to adopt
this savings bank plan cid SO in 1855. tile
principal, woman, too, by the way, re-
cognizing how great q power lay behind
SO apparently q simple beginning. Oua
Of 450 scholars 403 are depositors, and
they saved FROM March, 1885, to January
1887, S2,5S2, an average of 1891 to each
child. On Jan. 1, 1857, seven schools in
the United States adopted savings banks,
a. small beginning when compared to thS
number OF the same organizations in
Europe, it is true, but q beginning never.
theless. France, the only country Witha
: national system, has, Miss Bald win says,
$4,000 OF these banks, whose savings
amounted to nearly 81, 400, 900. A
SCHOOL BANKS METHODS.
The modus operaRdi Of 4 school bank. is
as follows, told in our auihority's own
words 80
s'Having arranged with some savings
bank to receive deposits, the principal sof
school gives notice to the several glasses
that every Monday morning their teacher
when calling the roll, will receive tlaiI
small savings from one cent up to fifty
centsl. On making the first deposit q
pupil is given d card with his or hel
name, date and amount deposited re
ceipted by the teacher; this card the pupil
keeps, presenting it every time a deposit
is made, the card having dates for the
whole school year.
after the first few collections when
like any other new drill, children are awk
ward, fifteen minutes Is sufficient to re-
ceive class Of fifty The teacher ap
points some bright pupil collector lSshc
takes the card and money from each child
and hands it to the teacher, who counts
the money, receipts the card and returns
it to the scholar. The ordinary roll boob
serves as q record book For instance y
name is called = Jane Smith She makes
answer, Three cents, and three cents il
entered in the savings column opposite
Jane Smiths name. If nothing has beer
saved cross SO indicates, and merely
attendance is marked The principal
who IS the de facto treasurer requires d
special book for names Of depositors anl
amounts saved, as the savings OF al
classes are handed to him, and he sends
them each day to the savings bank, get
ting q receipt for the whole amount
When pupil has saved twenty I'VE cent?
Tor any other sum agreed Oul he Is given Z
bank book and becomes regular con
trfbutor although interest is rarely. paid